Ahead of the 2024 legislative and presidential elections, the problem of high political costs in Indonesia has again come to the fore. The February 14 elections will see some 9,917 candidates vying for seats in the national House of Representatives (DPR) from the 18 political parties who will be contesting 84 electoral districts across the country.

Most observers expect that that the upcoming 2024 presidential debate will offer little in terms of substance or insight into the candidates programs and policies. "If the public believed the 2019 presidential debate lacked substances, the 2024 debate would be just the same", constitutional law expert Bivitri Susant told Tempo on December 10.

The Constitutional Court (MK) ruling on October 16 allowing candidates under the current age limit of 40 years to run as presidential and vice presidential candidates has not only triggered outrage over the obvious conflict of interest, but may also cast a long tentacle of illegitimacy over the February 14 presidential election next year.

On November 13, the General Elections Commission (KPU) announced that all three presidential candidates and their running mates, including the 36-year-old son of President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo, had fulfilled the administrative requirements to participate in the February 14, 2024 presidential election.

These days, the Indonesian nation, based on the state ideology of Pancasila, has truly lost any exemplary examples from its leaders. The mental revolution that was touted earlier has become limited to rhetoric.

The polemic over Constitutional Court ruling Number 90/PUU-XXI/2023, which gave a red carpet to President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka to become a vice presidential candidate, signals that our democracy has suffered a further regression.

Responding to the lack of publically available information, Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has re-launched the Track Record (RekamJejak.net) website to provide information and background data on the hundreds of legislative candidates running in the 2024 elections.

Bagus Santosa, Jakarta – A Kompas Research & Development (Litbang Kompas) survey for the period October 2023 found that the public's views are divided when asked about prohibiting political dynasties.

Although Indonesian's are used to the unethical and opportunistic behaviour of their corrupt and nepotistic politicians, many were still taken aback by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's blatant use of family connections to further his political ambitions.

After years of dodging scandals and ethical code violations, it appears that Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairperson Firli Bahuri's days may be numbered after police launched an investigation into allegations he tried to extort 1 billion rupiah (US$65,000) from corruption suspect Syahrul Yasin Limpo

Indonesia's poor are being hit hard by a spike in rice prices that have reached record highs recently, with medium-grade rice costing almost 13,000 rupiah (around US 85 cents) a kilogram, a increase of 20 percent since January.

High-rise buildings in Jakarta will soon be required by law to spray water mist from their rooftops as part a desperate bid by the government to tackle the toxic air pollution that has been choking the megacity for weeks.

The government is scrambling to address Jakarta's perennial air pollution problem amid a public outcry over worsening air quality in recent weeks.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has found that at least 39 former graft convicts are on the General Elections Commission (KPU) provisional list of legislative candidates (caleg), which was released earlier this month.

Jakarta – Under its current leadership, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has been subject to its fair share of criticism, but still it deserves the public's support when its efforts to enforce the law are met with resistance, even bullying, from a powerful institution.

The Indonesian Military's (TNI) resistance toward the arrest of a high-ranking officer and his aide by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) over an alleged graft case at the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) has reignited a debate over the military's long-standing culture of impunity.

Indonesian police last week announced that they had arrested 12 suspects believed to be members of an illegal organ trade syndicate accused of preying on at least 122 victims and selling kidneys to a Cambodian ring.

Sandro Gatra – The rate of "white group" (golput) – citizens who abstain from voting or do not use the right to vote – in elections during the reform era has tended to increase.

Sandro Gatra – At every succession of the national leadership, the oligarchy issue always come up. Oligarchy is often attached to candidates who are closely associated with entrepreneurs, the economic mafia, capitalists, foreigners or foreign investors.

Jakarta – It will be much more difficult for Jakarta to blow its anniversary candles today than in the past, not because the number will be a whopping 496, but because it is getting harder to breathe in the capital city.